Feathering-blade paddle-wheel.



Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

I /N VEN TDR;

MWLQMXMQ J. RUURK-E.

PEATHERING BLADE PADDLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 20,1909.

GRAHAM C0.A PDTU-UTHOGRAPHERS. WASHINGTON. D C.

` WTA/ELEEEJ;

JOI-IN ROURKE, 0F NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

FEATHERINGr-BLADE PADDLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct.. 12, i909.

Application led February 20, 1909. Serial No. 479,056.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ROURKE, a citizen of the United States, residingV at New London, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feathering-Blade Paddle-Wheels, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to improvements in revoluble paddle-wheels of the featheringblade class or type adapted to propel steamboats or vessels, and in improved means for transmitting the force or power exerted by the driving engine to the paddle-wheel so as to effect the vessels propulsion, and it consists in the novel construction and arrangements of parts, all as more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

By means of the present invention I am enabled to produce a feathering paddlewheel in which the blades are devised and mounted so as to enter and leave the water with a greatly reduced degree of friction, the arrangement being such that the blades automatically and independently swing so as to present the least resistance area to the water, and in which the blades are successively and positively brought into the working or propelling position in a relatively gradual manner.

In my improved paddle-wheel the driving or actuating force is directly applied at or near a point adjacent the blades pivots,

thereby insuring positive action without rigidity of the contacting members. While as just stated the blades are positively brought into the working position the paddle-wheel is disconnected from the driving means. Another advantage derived by means of my invention is that engines of the so-called quick-speed type may be readily adapted and employed for transmitting power therefrom to rotate the paddle-wheels without the intervention of gearing, and in which the relative ratios of rotative speed may be varied as desired, the arrangement being such that the direction of rotation of the driving means causes the paddle-wheel to revolve in the same direction.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a feathering blade paddle wheel embodying my im rovement, and also showing my improve means for driving the wheel, portions of the latter being broken away. Fig.

2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial side view showing a brake device arranged to frictionally engage the rim of the wheel, and Fig. l is a front elevation in reduced scale corresponding somewhat with Fig. 1, showing the wheel-housing, Sac.

The following is a more detailed description of the invention: p

A, again referring to the drawings, designates my improved paddle wheel complete, the same, as shown, comprising a central hub c provided with end flanges c1 to which are secured the two sets of laterally separated uniformly spaced radially extending spokes a, the ends of which are bolted to the outer tie rings or rims r; a similar but smaller tie ring r1 is also secured to each set of spokes. The wheel is secured to a short shaft d, in turn supported and mounted to revolve in suitable bearings, as d1, Fig. 2.

A blade or bucket l) is disposed between each pair of spokes and is secured midway of its length to or being integral with a shaft or axle e pivoted to swing in said spokes, and being located at a suitable distance inward from the outer rim. The shaft e extends forwardly through the front spoke and has a short forked crank c1 rigidly fixed thereon carrying vertically separated small freely revoluble friction rolls, f, f1; the axis of the normally upper roll f being in alinement with that of said blade-shaft c. As thus devised and mounted the gravity or weight of the cranks and their rolls f1 operate automatically to keep the respective blades b in a substantially vertical position at all times, except when they are immersed in the water while the wheel A. and boat, one or both, are in motion, as clearly indicated in Fig. l, wherein the curved arrow x' shows the direction ofrotation of the wheel and the horizontal arrow c1 the corresponding direction of the boats movement. It may be added that in Fig. 4 both the boatand wheel are represented as being stationary, therefore all the blades will then assume a vertical position, the heavier ends obviously being at the bottom.

The following is a description of the driv` ing means: At a point below and parallel with the wheels shaft l is located the engine or motor-driven shaft m, mounted to revolve in bearings m1. rIhe shaft 'nt may extend transversely across the vessel so as to drive a companion wheel. It may be added here that it is of course well known that steamboats of the side-wheel type usually have the paddle-wheels located on the -port and starboard sides, both wheels being secured to a single transverse shaft to which the driving power is directly applied. 1n my improved wheel and dri-ving connection or means the port and starboard wheels are independent of each other but are capable of being driven concurrently by the ydriving-shaft m, as before stated. The shaft m projects outward through the ybearing and has va driving member B rigidly Secured thereon. The member B is represented as hav-ing four radial equi` distant Aarms ,z' which describe a circle somewhat less than the semidiameter `of 4the pad" dle-wheel, as indicated in Fig. 1. The driving-arms z' are disposed in a vertical circular plane in the path of the cranks el and when in action are arranged to successively press against the contiguous faces o f the rolls, f f1, thereby forcing a wheel A laround in the saine direction in a practically continuous manner, the arms z', however, lactuating the cranks intermittingly. As represented, the relative rotative speed of the -driving member B to that of the wheel is two and o nequarter ,to ener-since the former Ahas four arms and ,the latter nine.

In order to position the driving member B comparatively close to the front of the wheel A, and also to enlarge the circular sweep of the arms z' a lateral space l may be left between the hub o and the front bearing d1, as shown in Fig. 2.

Assuming a vessel to be provided with my improved suit-ably housed paddle-wheels A and main driving or power-transmitting members B, substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and t, the action of the parts may be described as follows: Now, upon starting the engine or motive power connected with the driving-shaft m, 'thus correspondingly rotating the lat-ter say in the arrow direction, (one, or possibly two, of the arms z' of the power-transmitting member B then being in working engagement with the adjacent roll-carrying cranks el of the corresponding lower blades) the paddle-wheel is caused to rotate in the same direction, but ata reduced angular speed or ratio. The lower or rollcarrying portion of the bottom edge of each tin-immersed normally vertical freelyswing ing blade enters the relatively stationary water first. At substantially the same in stant ,the center of the blade or shaft e is also advancing angularly with the wheel at a rate of speed materially greater than what may be termed the relative motion of the water, thereby causing the blade to freely swing in the water to a nearly horizontal position `(corresponding with the velocity of the wheel) until it is engaged by the corresponding arm c' of the driver, which latter then forces it (the blade) yaxially to the substantially vertical immersed position, being that of greatest leverage or area presented :by the yblade 4to lthe water. The blade in cooperation with its said engaged moving arm continues to rotate the wheel, the blade itself meanwhile gradually swings on its axis and assumes a substantially horizontal position or minimum area of resistance to the water. As the blade emerges from the water and becomes released from the arm it automatically returns ,to the normal vertical position until it again enters the water on the forward or driving side. Meanwhile, the cranks of .the other blades are engaged one after another by rthe successive arms of the revolving driving member B. Thus it is apparent that the lower or relatively weighted edge of the blade members -enters .thesu'rface of the water first and lemerges from it last, even though ithe boat .be propelled in a forward or backward direction.I

By providing the swinging cranks c1 with the freely `turning rolls, the degree of friction due to the force employed in propelling the wheel by the driving member B is materially reduced, it being borne in mind that the blades are integral with or rigidly secured to `the shafts `and cranks. i

I have Ldeemed it advisable to provide means for securing or practically locking the wheels A in a stationary position to prevent aXia-l movement, .as for example when the boat is docked or `at anchor. To that end the `device shown Fig. 3 may be .employed, wherein a suitably located swinging lever [c is fulcrumed in a bracket [c1 ysecured to the underside 4of the deck and over the top of the wheels rim. To the free .end of the lever is secured a cord Z passing yaround a guide sheave and leading 4 therefrom .to any conveniently accessible point. The act of pulling the cord `upward .depresses the lever and causes its `shoe ,s .to frictionally cont-act with the paddle-wheels rim, the holding force being ,due to and controlled by ille degree of pressure applied to the cord. Upon releasing the cord the spring s1 acts to return the lever back tothe normal inoperative position.

YVhat I `claim as my invention ,and desire to secure by UnitedStates Letters Patent 1. The combination with la paddle-wheel provided with a plurality Lof circumferentially spaced independently swinging feathering-blades, of revoluble Ldriving means arranged with respect to the blades so as to positively position them in a successive mann ner to rotate the wheel.

2. The combination with L paddle-wheel provided with a plurality of .circumferenf tially spaced independent normally freely swinging featheringeblades, of a revoluble iio power-transmitting member having a plurality of arms operatively and successively engageable with the blades for rotating t-he wheel.

3. The combination of a paddle-wheel provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced independent swinging featheringblades, each having a crank secured thereto so as to automatically maintain the blade in a normally vertical position when it is out of water, and a revoluble power-transmitting member having arms disposed in the path of said cranks arranged to successively engage the latter for temporarily positining the blades in the water to rotate the wheel.

4. The combination with a paddle-wheel having a plurality of peripherally disposed independent freely-swinging featheringblades mounted therein, of revoluble driving means engageable with and actuating said Iwmldle-wheel7 said means when in use rotating the paddle-wheel in the same direc tion therewith but at a slower speed ratio.

5. A paddle-wheel provided with a plurality of front and rear laterally separated uniformly spaced and suitably braced spokes, a corresponding number of interposed independent freely-swinging feathering-blades mounted in and located near the outer ends of the spokes, and having each blade rigidly secured to or integral with an axle extending through the respective front spoke adapted to keep the blade in the normal vertical inoperative position by gravity during a part of the wheels revolution.

6. The combination with a paddle-wheel vhaving a series of uniformly spaced independent freely-swinging feathering-blades located therein near its rim, of a driving or power-transmitting member whose outer diameter is less than the semi-diameter of the paddle-wheel.

7 In a paddle-wheel of the character described, provided with a plurality of spaced independently movable blade members, each having a crank secured thereto carrying truck-rolls, of a revoluble power-transmitting member having arms disposed in the path of said cranks, arranged to frictionally contact with its rolls, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I' have aixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ROURKE.

Titnesses l GEO. H. REMINGTON, CALVIN H. BROWN. 

